Notes

1. ACM

I went to Ateneo early this morning, fully intending to just say hi
and then go back home to revamp the network. Doc Mana somehow managed
to talk me into joining the students for the morning contest, and I'm
very glad I did so.

Yes, Eric and I lost. We solved only three problems compared to the
four problems Allan, Mark and Miguel solved. Knowing how rusty I am,
knowing how uncertain the dynamics were, it was a no-win kind of
thing--but I went and joined it anyway, just for kicks.

I think it turned out really well.

I think we all won.

Winning isn't just a matter of points. It's not a matter of beating
someone or keeping your reputation intact or whatever. It's nothing
like that at all.

So, yes, the next generation beat me. Yes, they had one additional
person, but that doesn't make their achievement any less cool. Heck,
if you're going to go for absolute ranking, Eric solved more problems
than I did. I solved one on my own and made a passable attempt at
another; he solved two problems completely.

Someone just looking at the numbers will not understand why I enjoyed
that contest so much. I loved it, every single moment of it: from
scribbling tentative solutions and working through them with a pen,
frowning at stubborn bugs... Yes, even until the last few minutes when
I was, like, gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

It was fun.

「いいえ、ぼくです！、ぼくです！、ぼくです！」百匹のねこ、千匹のねこ、
百万匹、一億、一兆匹のねこがいいました。どのねこも自分が一番美しいとお
もっていたのです。 No, I am! I am! I am! Cried hundreds and thousands
and millions and billions and trillions of voices, for each cat
thought itself the prettiest. [M]

2. Dermatologists

I mean, really. Now there's a good business opportunity: captive
self-selected audience, little real differentiation between goods but
artifically different prices, branding _all_ _over_ but no ingredients
list or anything that can help you go for generics
instead...

And you get to tap into one of the seven deadly sins, too.

I don't know. Maybe it's just a mild but healthy distrust of
situations where you end up buying from the same person giving you
advice.

Unfortunately, I don't know if we count any dermatologists among our
family friends. I'd feel more comfortable with someone who saw me as
more than a walk-in customer.

イヌとは対照的に、ネコはごく最近になって飼いならされたものである。 In
contrast to the dog, the cat has become domesticated only in recent
times.

Fortune

DOS: n., A small annoying boot virus that causes random spontaneous system
crashes, usually just before saving a massive project. Easily cured by
UNIX. See also MS-DOS, IBM-DOS, DR-DOS.
(from David Vicker's .plan)

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